Motoring

BLING IS BACK

Cast your mind back to the decade before last: before Instagram influencers, we had Paris Hilton. Every song in the charts featured Pharrell. The word ‘bling’ entered the common parlance via Jay-Z and MTV, and the ultimate in-your-face status vehicle was the Hummer. Usually in bright yellow.

Also, around the same time, car writers were losing their minds because the most extreme production car of all time had just come out. The 2005 Bugatti Veyron featured – among its unprecedented facts and figures – the unimaginable promised land of a thousand horsepower.

Now, times have changed. Sales figures declined for the old-style Hummer, not least for its single-digit miles per gallon figures. But the market for in-your-face bling never died. So, imagine a new Hummer (electric, of course) with a thousand horsepower.

Sounds insane, but I can confirm it exists. The new GMC Hummer EV Pickup has more than 350 miles of zero-emission range and with 1,000hp and 1,200lb-ft torque, it can hit 60mph in just 3.3 seconds – which, until recently, was elite supercar territory. Alongside this crazy power and speed, it also has all the capabilities of a proper supertruck, such as expansive seating for five plus bags of cargo space, four-wheel steering and an optional ‘extract’ mode, which allows the entire truck to raise around 15cm, while the air suspension also works to optimise aerodynamics by lowering the car at motorway speeds.

Needless to say, Hummer customers aren’t looking for a discreet or compact vehicle – and this one doesn’t disappoint. It’s massive – measuring 2.0m high, 2.34m wide, and more than 5.5m long.

And finally, Hummer buyers aren’t looking for something cheap and cheerful. Those wanting something exclusive and reassuringly expensive will be delighted to hear that, thanks to high demand, global production issues and the current sterling/dollar exchange rate, you can expect to pay around £320,000 on-the-road for one of these.

Bling enough for you?

Fact file / GMC Hummer EV Pickup / Range: 350 miles / Acceleration: 0-60 in 3.3 seconds Peak power: 1,000 horsepower / Seating capacity: 5 Price: from £320,000